Generations and the netiquette/etiquette gap

I wasn't there - I was at another event - but heard that some interesting topics came up. I called some of the panelists to talk to them about what they were seeing with this generation - and it struck a chord because it was similar message that I hear from teachers these days:

We've created a generation that looks great on paper, but has some trouble when it comes to real life.

That was the main message that stuck in my mind last week when I spoke
with Rosanna Fiske, who teaches at Florida International University's
communications school.

Her students are early adapters, finding
the latest technological innovation "none of us can,'' said Fiske, who
teaches advertising and public relations students.

"They do so
well because they're connected -- they've literally been connected
their entire lives,'' she said. "But what that's also done is create a
whole issue with their social skills and face-to-face interaction.''

In some cases, it gets even worse.

Johnson & Wales' Maureen Lloyd-James told me she has some students
who include texting language like LOL (that's laughing out loud) in
college essays.

"I think in this day and age we presume
students have a lot of computing knowledge -- but it's only in a specific area,'' she said.

Fiske counteracts this at FIU by
emphasizing hands-on work. Some students have a class that features in-person interactions, so they must meet clients in addition to create
websites, do writing, research and preparation.

Both Fiske and
Lloyd-James emphasized that these assignments are about creating a
different mind-set for students who have never thought about these
things.

For Betsy Soler, a senior at FIU who is already working
full-time, it was also about learning how to act as a professional --
something every college student must learn, regardless of their
generation.

In her case, that has meant getting more comfortable
with using the phone for work conversations, said Soler, who still puts "text-friendly'' next to her business phone number.

Soler, 19,
thinks part of the issue is that because younger people are viewed more
as "experts,'' they're being thrust into the working world at a much
younger age.

"Professionals are approaching us a lot quicker than before,'' said Soler, who started college when she was 16.

What netiquette challenges do you see when working between generations? Share your stories in the comments below.